Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus chaired the weekly Council of Advisers meeting today at his office. Photo: PID

DHAKA, Dec 11, 2025 (BSS) - The Council of Advisers at its weekly meeting today adopted a thanksgiving motion for the two outgoing advisers, approved the drafts of three ordinances, withdrew value added tax (VAT) on metrorail fare and reduced tax for dates import.
 
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus chaired the meeting at his office in the city's Tejgaon area.
 
"As the resignation of the two outgoing advisers is going to come into effect with the announcement of election schedule today, honorable Chief Adviser hosted a luncheon in honor of them," Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said while briefing about the meeting at Foreign Service Academy here this afternoon. 

He said Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan moved the motion highlighting the biography of outgoing advisers Mahfuz Alam and Asif Mahmud Sojib Bhuayin and their contributions to the 2018 anti-quota movement and the 2024 July Uprising.

After the meeting, the press secretary said, Prof Yunus posed for a photograph with the outgoing advisers. 

Earlier, on Wednesday, Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mahfuj Alam and LGRD and Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain submitted their resignation letters in-person to the Chief Adviser at the State Guest House Jamuna here. 

Shafiqul Alam also said that the Council of Advisers approved the drafts of Commercial Court Ordinance 2025, the Registration (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 and the Legal Aid Services (second Amended) Ordinance, 2025.

He said the meeting also exempted the value-added tax (VAT) on metro rail tickets. 

Though the government will incur about Taka 40 crore per year, the press secretary said the government exempted the VAT considering that the metro rail is playing an epoch making role in the transportation of the city dwellers. 

He said the government also reduced the tax incidence on dates to 40 percent from the existing 52 percent to facilitate the consumers in the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.

Shafiqul Alam said that there was a customs duty of 25 percent on date import, which has been reduced to 15 percent.

He said the meeting of the Council of Advisers also discussed the law and order situation before and after the announcement of the polls schedule for the upcoming general elections and the referendum.